Eggman
06-13-2012, 12:31 PM
The last national I experienced one of those traumatic events we all dread (actually three if you count the screws falling out and disappearing from the revolver and carbine; check your screws). Sunday morning our Inspector, Little Norm the Trigger Checker, advised me that my musket trigger needed to be checked. I assured him, "Norm, my trigger could lift an anvil." Norm then applied his electronic trigger checker. It plays "I can't Get No Satisfaction" if the trigger fails, and "I'm Proud to be an American" if it passes. Well it seems that after a day on the individual target range the trigger pull had gotten soft.
I had anticipated a situation like this, so when the usual screw tightening failed to remedy the problem, I installed a new sear spring I kept on hand - which wasn't as easy as it sounds since it had to be fitted to the lock, and all we had on hand to work on it was Norm's fingernail file. Anyway, once installed the musket passed.
That got me to thinking. Once back home I decided to check the trigger pull on my other musket, the one I use when I really want to hit targets. As usual it passed, but was close. Lifting the gun too rapidly would trip the lock.
So I decided to go into the lock and maybe give myself a little more cushion. Once the lock was removed I noticed that both bridle screws were about one turn loose. I had a vague recollection that they were always this, that the guy who owed and tuned the gun before me kept it this way, but I couldn't remember why. So I tightened the screws up.
The trigger pull immediately went to around six ounces, way way way below where it was. So I pulled the lock and observed the internal lock action for a bit and noticed that the sear was now clamped down so tight it was binding and was thus not fully engaging the tumbler. As a result the trigger pull was way too soft.
So I again turned the bridle screws one turn out again. The sear again moving freely. I then reinstalled the lock and rechecked the trigger pull -- it was once again comfortably over the three pound minimum.
So it the "for what it's worth department," the unconventional solution here was LOOSEN your lock screws for a firmer trigger pull.
I had anticipated a situation like this, so when the usual screw tightening failed to remedy the problem, I installed a new sear spring I kept on hand - which wasn't as easy as it sounds since it had to be fitted to the lock, and all we had on hand to work on it was Norm's fingernail file. Anyway, once installed the musket passed.
That got me to thinking. Once back home I decided to check the trigger pull on my other musket, the one I use when I really want to hit targets. As usual it passed, but was close. Lifting the gun too rapidly would trip the lock.
So I decided to go into the lock and maybe give myself a little more cushion. Once the lock was removed I noticed that both bridle screws were about one turn loose. I had a vague recollection that they were always this, that the guy who owed and tuned the gun before me kept it this way, but I couldn't remember why. So I tightened the screws up.
The trigger pull immediately went to around six ounces, way way way below where it was. So I pulled the lock and observed the internal lock action for a bit and noticed that the sear was now clamped down so tight it was binding and was thus not fully engaging the tumbler. As a result the trigger pull was way too soft.
So I again turned the bridle screws one turn out again. The sear again moving freely. I then reinstalled the lock and rechecked the trigger pull -- it was once again comfortably over the three pound minimum.
So it the "for what it's worth department," the unconventional solution here was LOOSEN your lock screws for a firmer trigger pull.